Episode 11 : The Globetrotting Entrepreneur with Matthew Chin

By Kadia Francis | September 1, 2019 | 46 mins

Photo Courtesy of Weh Deh Yah Suh

In this episode we are talking to Matthew Chin, Jamaican Travel Blogger, entrepreneur and one half of the adventurous duo from the new We Deh Yah Suh Travel Series. On the show besties Matthew and Suzie have loads of fun exploring local attractions hidden and popular and lots of laughs as they engage with the colourful Jamaicans they meet along the way.

Quick confession, I was completely unaware that Matthew was the boss and owner over at Macau, one of my absolutely favourite chill spots in Kingston (face-palm). I found out a couple minutes into the show and had a true fan girl moment.

Luckily, he was chuffed so all’s well that ends well, right? (still face-palming). But back to why I really wanted to have this conversation. Matthew got my attention because he has one of the best Jamaican travel blogging pages on Instagram. That and he takes some very ‘interesting’ (read naked) pictures in the most amazing places.

I mean, what can I say he’s a good looking fellow, especially naked, call me thirsty I don’t care.

Anyhoo, after spending a considerable amount of time stalking his Instagram pages (for the content, wink), I eventually got to the blog and realized that ummm, this is pretty good stuff and that’s really why I wanted to talk to Matthew.

So, I hopped in his DM’s to let him know that I really enjoyed his blog (and his pics) and that someday I’d love to talk to him about it. Luckily, he was launching a new local travel series We Deh Yah Suh and bada boom, bada bang here we are with an exclusive (yay me!!!).

“We’re trying to bring a little bit of I guess exposure to some of these spots in Jamaica some spots secret,some spots are not so secret or hidden. But whatever it is, they are fun things that we enjoy doing. So I do these things on an often enough basis, and it just clicked to me one day like why is nobody recording this?”

Matthew and Suzie has been going on these mini adventures around the island for years. Now, they have decided to let us in on the adventure with them with this POV style YouTube series.

“in my opinion, the majority of Jamaicans right now living in Jamaica, are not seeing our country like how it’s supposed to be seen. So I think everybody should try to get out there, see something new, go and explore somewhere, it doesn’t have to be, you know, something crazy, or something really adventurous. But all you have to do is drive.”

What makes me excited about this series and other like it like DowndiRoadja, is that whether intentional or otherwise they frame Jamaica as a place of great adventures. And, with world class accommodations and attractions for every interest, taste level and pocket, it’s a stand out option for the travel blogger/vacationers for both locals and people everywhere.

Though Matthew insists that this platform is all in good fun and that Weh Deh Yah Suh is not a touring company or a travel club, he is open to maybe expanding into excursions and he’s definitely open to collaborating. Right now though, Matthew just wants to enjoy some good times with his friend(s) and hopefully you’ll enjoy the journey with him.

Connect With Matthew

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The Three Digital Jamaica Entrepreneurs

You Should Be Supporting in 2019

By Kadia Francis | March 4, 2019

A smart device, access to broadband internet, social media and Google were all the tools our ebusiness nominees needed to start building a successful business online.

The best thing that has happened to Jamaica and other small Caribbean Island states in the last twenty years or so is the internet. This is a very bold assertion I know and here’s another one, I’m going to go one step further and say that perhaps the best government initiative during that period was the demonopolization of the telecoms industry.

Think about it, what happens when there’s more competition in any market? It drives down prices as companies are now having to vie for your business, tripping over themselves to offer you the best but cheaper deal. This cluster f@#k means more options for a consumer, more power to dictate the market, and for the thrifty among us that’s always a good thing.

“E-commerce is a powerful means to connect the unconnected to global trade.” – Arancha Gonzalez

That’s exactly what happened here and now Jamaica has the third largest internet user base in the Caribbean with more than half the population (as much as (60%) having online access.

Even better, according to a 2019 Global Report authored by We Are Social and Hootsuite there are more mobile phones in Jamaica than people at a whopping 112% penetration.

The study also shows that there are 1.2 million Jamaicans using social media with over 80% of that number (1.1 million) accessing these platforms via a mobile device.

Taken this means Jamaicans are poised to take advantage of the infinite opportunities available to us online because of the unprecedented access we now have to the global market.

Gail Valentine

Virtual Assistant – Gails Virtual Hub

Gail is the ceo and founder of gailsvirtulhub.com an online executive administration platform specialising in remote office assistance. The hub offers a wide range of services to include general office management, social media management, executive/personal assistance and much more.

Having an online remote assistance company means Gail has positioned herself to take full advantage of the remote working trend. More and more company’s are looking for time and money saving options and are turning to remote assistants.

And it’s not just businesses that are benefiting from this strategy either, personal brands and busy professionals in general are also hiring remote workers to help them stay organized and efficient.

A virtual assistant can help by scheduling appointments, answering emails, taking calls, booking gigs and in some instances customer service support .

Sue-Tanya McHorgh

Website Developer & Brand Designer

Suetanya is a digital entreprenuer powerhouse, operating several online businesses under her personal brand. She is the owner of Suetys Business Solutions, a brand design and web development business. She is also the owner of Suetys Boutique an online clothes store.

As is the case with most Jamaicans Sue-Tanya started her digital entrepreneurship journey out of necessity and ambition. After being fired from an underpaid call centre job she started her first business as a Virtual Assistant on the popular remote work channel Fiverr.

Being one of the first to do it locally, Sue-Tanya benefitted from having a first-mover advantage. Basically, she had little to no competition in the local VA market which alllowed her busines to take off.

She quickly became a top notch Virtual Assistant and from that has launcedh herself into the Digital stratosphere. Now she’s a seasoned digital Jamaican, adding several other digital skills and services to her portfolio.

There’s a lot to be learned from her story, it’s not that it was smooth sailing all the way through, in fact at one point she had to go back into full time employ.

But it’s her determination to be the master of her own time, destiny and financial future that has fuelled her ambitions. That in and of itself is remarkable.

Kevonne Martin

Kevonne is one very ambitious smaddi, he’s the COO and co founder of Queritel a digital business research company he launched back in 2016.

Queritel connects businesses and entrepreneurs to freelance service providers registered with their platform.

These service providers are freelance researchers who ‘provides hyper localized market, industry and legal data’. The platform has proven to be a hit so far attracting over 6000 freelance service providers.

These registered providers have been connected to over 5000 businesses in 21 countries across the Caribbean and North America.

In 2018 the company had their biggest year yet and are now looking to scale aggressively, recruiting more providers to satisfy their growing customer base.

Queritel is fast becoming an important resource for young people looking to earn extra money from a side gig.

It is also one of very few companies who are offering this kind of service to businesses wanting local market data.

↶ WATCH THE INTERVIEWS HERE ↷

Kadia Francis

I am a blogger, podcaster, digital content creator and brand development strategist keen on telling the story of Jamaica and Jamaicans in the tech and digital space.

Episode 10 – Building an Experiential Based Tech Future for Jamaica with Christopher Gayle

By Kadia Francis | August 18, 2019 | 1hr 15 mins

Photo Courtesy of Chris Gayle on Instagram

In the second form of high school (grade 8) I was listening to the Hanson Brothers, MM Bop and day dreaming about being a cute white girl in a Hanson video (it was a simpler less woke time). But I was being a normal teenager, blissfully unaware, annoying and un-impactful. In fact, for the most part blissfully unaware and ‘oh my god’, was my mood the entire 5 years I spent at Holy Childhood High School.

By the time Chris landed in fourth form (grade 10) he had already found his lane and was testing the hell out of those boundaries. In second form he was busy ‘acquiring’ source codes for games, editing the characters or altogether rebuilding those games. In third form his games were so popular online that it got the attention of the makers of Dragon Ball Z. Let us say they were not flattered by the similarities nor were they interested in friendly competition so they sent him and his nerd gamer friends a cease and desist letter.

So that was bittersweet for the team. To the artists, they were more upset. But to me, I didn’t lose any art, I guess the code was still useful. And I felt like I could now make something original that could go further than something that I was making as a fan.

Just in case you haven’t picked up yet Christopher Gayle a.k.a Chris Gizzada is a Jamaican tech prodigy. A completely self taught programmer, software designer & developer. And, now founder of Gizzada Limited, a premier, world class software development company creating apps that “help people get things done.”

I mean, here is someone who from early on knew exactly what he wanted to do and just did it. Although, to hear him tell it, it wasn’t so much knowing but just simply doing what he liked.

I don’t know, if it’s that I knew, I just kept on not doing anything I didn’t like. So I guess, anytime I didn’t like something, or I saw someone else doing it, and they were clearly more passionate about it than I was, I would just go back to my lane. It just so happened that this is what I liked.

That clarity of thought and his ‘just doing me” attitude makes him a progressive thinker with an incredible ability to foresee and predict trends.

“around fifth form I think smartphones were really out there now and I could finally transition from just making these computer based things to things that could go on your phone, and a lot of the stuff that were in my game, there are entire businesses built on top of some of those principles, and some of those systems. So I wanted to start to take pieces of that and apply them to the real world. And I figured that it would be it would just be a nicer way to live in Jamaica.”

The funny thing about just being you and creating the things you like is that you have to rely on your environment to guide you. I don’t have to spell out how valuable an asset that is when we are talking about people like Chris who are literally developing the future? Chances are very high that anything that he creates is going to be experiential based and because we are all cultured in the Jamaican experience that can only mean tangible benefits for the majority of Jamaicans.

This is what you call experiential tech, technology that is rooted in culture but developed to advance or better how that thing is done. And, it is no surprise that Chris is already way ahead of the curve on that front. Chris is very clear about who his company is developing apps for and the why of it all.

We are developing applications with the purpose of improving the lives of those living in the Caribbean

But mout mek fi talk right? The proof of the pudding is in the eating and all that jazz we Jamaicans say. Except, every single piece of application Gizzada Limited has produced thus far has manifested their why, and they are all experiential based.

The JaMaker App is the Jamaican version of WeChat it is hybrid team organizer, eCommerce platform, business manager, instant messenger, and collaborative software application built with Jamaican companies in mind. Indeed it was initially built for his team.

The Get There App is an Uber-esque application that allows users to book taxis online. The app was especially developed with rural Jamaicans in mind who have a harder time with transportation.

The JahMah Music App is an online radio manned by an AI DJ and features popular as well as up and coming Jamaican artists.

The Power Pree App is a collaboration between Chris and his team at Gizzada Limited and another brilliant young Digital Jamaican Yekini Wallen-Bryan and his team at Preelabs. The app and software is built by Chris and accompanies the PowerPree device developed by Yekini and his team.

According to their website the device allows users “to monitor and manage the usage of your appliances and save money on your annual energy bill by remotely and/or automatically turning things on and off according to your schedule!”

The app is what allows users to operat the device remotely, I love a good collab.

Mi nah lie yuh (no lie), young people like Chris and his team at Gizzada Limited and YeKini and his team at PreeLabs makes me really excited for the future of tech in Jamaica. We are decades behind the curve so we need more visionary, innovative, out-of-the-box, non-traditional and non linear thinkers like these two to lead the tech revolution in Jamaica. Maybe then we can finally stop playing catch up and GET THRE already.

Chris’s Gems

Start developing your passion from early, hone in on the things that you’re good at or that you love doing

Stay in your lane, don’t do something because its popular, do it because you want to, because you love it.

Unconventional, non-linear thinking is an asset, not a disadvantage

Know what you know and own it.

A university education is always a good thing but not always necessary if it’s not a distinct advantage

Be versatile and adaptable, don’t limit your self to just one area in your field, industry or interest

Create things that are Impactful and valuable to as many people as possible

The Internet is a vast resource and a valuable/powerful learning tool if you know where to go to find the information

Dont’ be afraid to break the rules, innovate til the rules catch up

You don’t need permission, once your mind can conceive it, go ahead and create it

Connect With Chris

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The subtle art of Social Media Branding: How Brands can Leverage Social Media Platforms for Growth

By Kadia Francis | August 12, 2019 | Guide | 5 Min Read

Over the next couple of weeks I am going to forensically break down social media platforms. I will be looking at what they are, how they work and how Jamaicans in particular can leverage these platforms to create opportunities for themselves.

Right off the bat let me say that social media platforms are not for businesses or brands. Although, if you’re a personal brand you have a lot more room to manouevre on these platforms but in general it wasn’t meant for you either. There are however still ways you can make these platforms work for you but it takes time and work.

Imagine you’re at your favourite hang out spot hanging out having a good time with your friends. Out of nowhere in walks a cash for gold salesman who then proceeds to go around the entire room shouting cash fi gold, cash fi gold repeatedly for the entire evening.

You see how this could ruin what was a very good time right? You may not even want to go back to that establishment because of that experience. Well that’s kinda what you’re doing when you try to sell goods and services on social platforms and that’s why these platforms are not friendly to brands, you’re chasing away their users.

In fact some platforms like Facebook actively discourages business by constantly changing their algorithms to disrupt these activities. Mark Zuckerberg insists that Facebook is a social networking site that is intended for ‘meaningful social interactions’, which means the algorithm prefers user generated content over ‘public content’.

So, how then can businesses and personal brands overcome algorithm challenges to reach their target audience and make an impact?

Sales Funnels

Well for one don’t be the cash for gold guy on social media, it’s really not the place for direct sales. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t actively market your goods and services, you just have to be subtle about it. In fact, your social media platforms are really great sales & lead generation funnels that can be used to attract and direct traffic to your website where you can aggressively sell anything you want.

Building Loyal Communities & Providing Value

As a business your core social media activity should be centred around community building and creating valuable content that your community will want to engage with and share. But why is community building so important? Because the two most important components of social media platforms are people (social) and the content (media). These digital platforms are specifically built to facilitate social communication and engagement between communities of people who share a mutual desire to connect, exchange ideas and share information.

As a brand you have the ability to attract, connect with or ultimately cultivate your own community centred around a common message or idea that your brand represents as well as the value your provide in the form of relateable and useful content. In exchange the community will not only loyally patronize your business but more importantly will happily recommend your brand to others.

Humanize & Personalize your Brand or Business

This organic exchange is very valuable to your brand because people, trust people, not companies. In an age of increasing digital connectivity this also extends to the people they think they know online. Social media platforms offers brands a unique opportunity to humanize their businesses and your community plays a major role in that. You want people to see you as a member of their community or to feel as if they are a part of yours and not just as another company hawking wares.

As part of your customer service apparaturs you can even create communities where new and existing customers can go to get information or voice concerns and upsets. The beauty about it is that overtime you’ll have other members of the community answering questions and directing traffic ony our behalf. This is a great way to boost customer retention, generating new customers and for customer referrals.

“The emergence of social media has given consumers a whole new way to interact with the brands they love — and a forum to complain when brands disappoint. But what many companies have learned is just how powerful connecting one-on-one with customers can be when those consumers take the time to post.” – Digital Marketing Institute

Sign up for Workshop to learn more

The whole point is brands should be putting a lot more thought and effort into their approach to these platforms. Success in digital spaces requires a comprehensive strategy that explores all the relevant factors to determine the best path to for digital success.

If you are confused or stuck or just need a little extra help developing your digital brand strategy then I will be conducting an intimate deep dive workshop exploring the ins and outs of these platforms and how you can leverage them to create opprotunties.

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The Platform Equation: Spreading Your Brands Identity Across Social Channels

By Kadia Francis | August 25, 2019 | Guide | 5 Min Read

Over the next couple of weeks I am going to forensically break down social media platforms. I will be looking at what they are, how they work and how Jamaicans in particular can leverage these platforms to create opportunities for themselves. This article is an excerpt from my soon to be released Instagram 101: A complete Guide to Instagram for Jamaicansbooklet.

A rule of thumb when it comes to social media is that not every platform will be right for your brand. The only real way to find out if a particular channel is compatible with your brand’s identity and message will take time and diligent effort which may or may not yield much at the end of the day.

What’s more is being a brand with multiple identities. If your a business it may be that you have distinct products operating under the same brand name (e.gPepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max). Or you may be a multinational brand operating in different regions globally (Digicel Jamaica, Trinidad etc.). Or, your brand may have a charitable arm or organization (The Grace Kennedy Foundation) that needs its own space to develop and grow.

If you are a personal brand you may have different interests, skills requiring varying types of content (podcast, blog, speaking) that just cannot fit under one profile.

How can a multifaceted brand, personal or business go about fully realizing all their identities online? Do they develop one profile for all identities or is it better to spread out across platforms depending on the particular identity. In other words, would one identity be more compatible with one particular platform as opposed to another?

Even if you’re not a big brand this is a problem you will run into. This was a major issue for me when creating a strategy for my podcast and presentation graphics service. Should I create a separate account or can I integrate this new medium into already existing profiles? Creating a separate account would mean building from scratch. Would I have the time (or patience) to do that knowing all the work it will require for my efforts to be realized?

Trying to house all your identities under one profile can all get a bit hairy when putting together a digital strategy. Especially when taking into account content, engagement, campaigns and promotional activities.

So if like me you’re struggling with these decisions here are three options to consider. I have also included some tools and resources that may help depending on the option you choose.

The Octopus Approach

Illustrated Gif by Gyfcat

The octopus approach is when you create muliple profile on a singular platform. This is only useful if that particular platform is the best suited to successfully carry all your brand identities.

With this option although each profile operates on the same platform they grow independently with separate strategies and objectives. For this to be successful however there must be enough similarities with the ‘mother’ profile to the overall brand tying it all together.

In the video below I explored Nike and their nine Instagram profiles, what you’ll notice is that each profile is highlighting a different aspect of the brand. However, there are commonalities such as the overall athletic theme that ties it all back to the Nike brand.

Now you may not want nine profiles on just one platform, that’s extraordinary and takes a lot of strategic planning to pull off. Having multiple profiles takes a lot of time and management having to switch between, monitor, cultivate and engage audiences.

In App Profile Management Features

The major platforms have caught on to the multiply trend and has made it easier to manage all your profiles. Instagram has adapted it’s mobile app to allow for viewing and easy switching between multiple profiles. Fcaebook has even more options from a stand alone manager app that collects all your pages in one place making managing easier to now being able to switch between profile and pages right from the menu bar in the app.

Downside to the Octopus Approach

Even with all the in app options available it can become cumbersome and frankly hella time consuming to manage each profile. Keep in mind that even though it’s one brand each standalone profile requires it’s own strategy which has to tie eveything together.

That’s a lot of work to do, and because it’s an independent profile you can’t be lazy and post the exact same content across all profiles. And, if you’re not dedicated to the task or if you’re just busy something is going to give and that may affect your brand overall.

The Separate But Equal Approach

The seperate but equal approach is when you spread your brand identities across social platforms. This is only useful if the different aspects of your brand requires more or different features than one platfrom can provide.

The secret to making this method work is in understanding how each platforms algorithm works and the type and format of content that works for each. Because, content performs differently across platforms which means while a particular type or format may work swimmingly on say Instagram, it mat not perform so wonderfully on another say Twitter.

Also, user behaviour differs across platforms, while someone on say LinkedIn will sit and read a long blog post (like this one) you may find it difficult to get a user of Instagram to click on a link to a blog post much less read the actual post.

It will take trial and error, time and a lot of swearing before you fully grasp the rhythm of each platform. Understanding your numbers (analytics) goes a long way too in determining the ROI on your efforts and a short cut to that is using a third party software (there are many) to help you figure it out.

The secret to making this method work is in understanding how each platforms algorithm works and the type and format of content that works for each. Because, content performs differently across platforms which means while a particular type or format may work swimmingly on say Instagram, it mat not perform so wonderfully on another say Twitter.

Also, user behaviour differs across platforms, while someone on say LinkedIn will sit and read a long blog post (like this one) you may find it difficult to get a user of Instagram to click on a link to a blog post much less read the actual post.

It will take trial and error, time and a lot of swearing before you fully grasp the rhythm of each platform. Understanding your numbers (analytics) goes a long way too in determining the ROI on your efforts and a short cut to that is using a third party software (there are many) to help you figure it out.

Social Media Management Tools

Integrating social media management tools into your strategy is a short cut method to gathering the necessary you’ll need to optimize your profiles. ALong with useful features like post management, scheduling and content automation these tools collect analytics. This type of data provides important ifnormation such as post impressions (the amount of time your post was shown) reach (the amount of pers ons who saw it). It also can tell you the best time to post and breaks down your audience into most active times, demographic and region.

With the plethora of management apps/software available you’re spoilt for choice. So, if you decide that your strategy is best served with this option then you’re covered. But, remember input will still be needed from you to pull it off, not every apsect of your profile can or should be automated.

Automation (Bots)

Generally speaking main stream social media mangement software can’t (or adequately) help you with the two most important aspects of your online brand building efforts, engagement and community building.

There are however ‘alternative’ software on the market that purports to help you with that too. This is where social media bots come in. There are actually reputable third party AI powered software that’ll allow you to automate your activities, making your community building and engagement efforts easier. And, as you can imagine saving you a lot of time. Using bots to communicate is ok as long you’re being transparent.

Where it becomes problematic is when users are unaware they are interacting with a bot. Ever noticed a spike in followers after following certain accounts, or random likes and comments (short or with lots of emojis) on particular posts?

Bots can be programmed to target particular accounts based on actvities such as hashtags used, accounts followed or searches. This can quickly turn into spamming, which can be frustrating or even detrimental to that targeted accounts profile.

Using bots can also cause real problems for your brand too, not only does it damages your reputation, it’s just not a good way to build trust. Ont op of which a lot of bot activity on your profile can see your profile being suspended or worse deleted.

Downside to the Seperate But Equal Approach

Dealing with multiple platforms is pro level stuff. To maximize all the features of any paltform you need to really be putting in the time and crunching those numbers. You have to be constantly keeping up with updates and changes and adapting different personas for each profile. This makes staying in your lane hard as you run the risk of either diluting or confusing your brands messaging.

The Housing Approach

Illustrated Gif by Giphy

The housing approach is when all your branding efforts is concentrated on your website with social emdia only providing a supportive role. This is useful because you own your web platform which frees you up to do a lot more.

Here’s a quick tip for you, while a call to action (click link in bio, sign up today) is great for your social media profile a sales copy isn’t. You ahve heard me say time and time again social media isn’t for hardselling, that’s what your website is for.

The other thing to consider is that you don’t own your social media profile, it’s rented space that can be snatched away without notice for any obscure breach of some unspecified ‘rule’ that not even the administrator can explain (I’m looking at you Twitter, still not over it).

Your website is like your bed, you can ‘spread out’ as much as you want because it’s your own space that you can pretty much do with as you please. In fact your website is the heart of your digital identity, social media should really only be playing a supportive role. And, ultimately your profile should act as a funnel for your site

Personally, this is the method I have incorporated into my platform strategy because frankly it’s less work. That and I feel I am now in control of my content, I am free to write long ass posts like this packing as much VALUE in as possible.

Besides you won’t find me on social media preaching, it has been done and honestly dropping a tip on social media without fully explaining what it means is pretty useless. So I use my blog to fully air out a topic or pirce of advice with the added benefit of showcase my expertise and range.

Downside to the Housing Approach

Having your own website requires some extra steps and admittedly can be frustrating if you don’t know what you are doing. If you’re going to go the professional route that requires purchasing a domain, setting up hosting and security, building out your CRM platform and writign a kickass sales copy.

If you plan on doing this yourself it can get tricky as I learned when building this platform. I would strongly recommend (if your pocket allows) off-loading this to a professional web developer. If not then YouTube is your friend, there are tons of helpful videos there to help you figure it out.

If you’re more interested in a DIY, not so professional but not terrible option then there are several free drag and drop platforms you can use like WordPress.com, Wix or Weebly. Here’s a sample of a free Wix site I built some time ago, it took em less than 2 hrs to get up and running.

That aside your website is a set it and forget it space requiring very little upkeep excpet security and maybe theme and platform updates. OverallI still think this is the best option for content delivery an dmanagement as well as brand growth online.

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By Kadia Francis | July 22, 2019 | Podcast Episode | 30 mins

Photo Courtesy of Naomi Garrick

All I can say after this amazing conversation is, Naomi is one brave woman. Listening to her talk about her journey to becoming Naomi Garrick the PR Chick I couldn’t help but think this must be what showing up in your own life looks like.

Naomi tells the story of working in the sales and marketing department of a hotel and how she figured out pretty early on that this was not the right fit for her.

“I was looking at like senior managers that were women in the industry and just wondered where they would find the time for a fmaily and just life outside the hotel and I realized at a very early stage that that’s not what I wanted.

And, just like that she changed course. Listen long enough and you’ll realize that this is a pattern for her. Naomi is very decisive and calculating too, in that she knows what she wants and she positions herself in such a way where she is able to get it.

Sure she has been fortunate enough to find herself in the right places at the right times but it’s not down to sheer luck. Naomi is always prepared, she never says no to new opportunities and shes deft at building meaningful relationships with people who can help her accomplish.

Who is Naomi Garrick anyway?

You may know her by the popular moniker the PR Chick. But, if not by name you most certainly know her by that big smile which from time to time has graced the pages of publications such as Flair and the Gleaners Page 2.

Naomi is Jamaica’s resident Public Relations guru and personal branding coach nee expert. She is an international speaker and author of three books on personal branding. She is also the head of Garrick Communications a boutique Public Relations agency she founded back in 2010 that’s still going strong.

Naomi, a certified Reputation Champion by the Public Relations Society of America has worked with over 100 brands and individuals and has been in public relations for over 16 years.

In 2017 Naomi became a Scotiabank Vision Achiever and has been recognized by the Jamaica Gleaner for her work in Communications.

So what did we talk about?

This episode is form my ‘lost files’. It was one of the recordings I thought I had lost in a systems melt down a couple months ago. Thankfully, I was able to piece it back together and am so glad I was able to publish because baaaabbbaaay Naomi went through the ABC’S of branding on social media. It was like sitting in on one of her coaching sessions.

Now first things first, Naomi is NOT a digital marketer. What she is, is an expert in personal brand development and management regardless of the medium. Being so knowledgeable on the different mediums is what makes her versatile enough to expound on this one.

The biggest thing Naomi wants you to know about personal branding on any platform is that at all times you need to be authentic. To be authentic you must first know who you are. According to her that’s the first step when branding, before you even start putting yourself out there.

Once you’re prepared to be yourself the next step is to figure out what you want the world to know about you. I evangelize to Jamaicans all the time that social media is a powerful readily accessible tool that you can use to create opportunites for yourself. But, before you even create a profile there are some things you need to figuure out, some questions you need to ask yourself.

“What makes me unique? What am I the expert in? What am I going to share through my digital space? What story am I telling? What do I want people to associate with my name and my image? “

Naomi believes that just as with any other medium personal branding on social media takes strategic planning. The most successful people online are the ones who are prepared. It may look easy or even random she says but that’s all a part of the strategy.

Naomi’s gems

Never stop learning, growing and experimenting

Be decisive, know what you want and go for it

Don’t linger in your life, if something is not working for you anymore move on and be decisive about it

Never turn down an opportunity even if it’s unfamiliar

Always show up prepared and looking the part

Stay true to who you are no matter what platform you’re on … Authenticity sells

You must know what value you bring to the table, what you have to offer and to whom

You don’t have to be everywhere, find where your audience is and build there

Your goal is to attract the right people online, but you must first know who they are and what they want, then give it to them, free

Don’t hoard knowledge or be afraid to share it

Make the connection

Want to learn more about personal branding or thinking about a career in Public relations? Maybe you want to buy one of her books or want to Naomi to speak at your event or you may want to join one of her amazing coaching sessions? I got you, get in tocuh with her here:

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Episode 10 - Building an Experiential Based Tech Future for Jamaica with Christopher Gayle Photo Courtesy of Chris Gayle on Instagram In the second form of high school (grade 8) I was listening to the Hanson Brothers, MM Bop and day dreaming about being a cute white...

Episode 9 - How to Develop an Impactful Personal Brand Online with Naomi GarrickPhoto Courtesy of Naomi Garrick All I can say after this amazing conversation is, Naomi is one brave woman. Listening to her talk about her journey to becoming Naomi Garrick the PR Chick...

Episode 8 - How to Build Connections & Thrive in the Digital Space, with Heneka Watkis-PorterThe very first episode of the Entrepreneurial You podcast set the standard for what was to come. Heneka's very first guest was John Lee Dumas, host of the Entrepreneurs on...

Episode 8 – How to Build Connections & Thrive in the Digital Space, with Heneka Watkis-Porter

By Kadia Francis | July 8, 2019 | 49 mins

The very first episode of the Entrepreneurial You podcast set the standard for what was to come. Heneka’s very first guest was John Lee Dumas, host of the Entrepreneurs on Fire Podcast — one of the biggest podcasting platform anywhere. Since then Heneka has landed interviews with some of the biggest names in business internationally as well as global thought leaders like Seth Godin, Amy Porterfield and Sir Richard Branson.

But who exactly is Heneka Watkis-Porter and how has this new kid on the podcasting block been able to attract such big names when bigger platforms haven’t? Heneka’s formula is simple, authentic engagement.

WHO IS HENEKA WATKIS-PORTER?

The first thing you need to know about Heneka is that this author, speaker and serial entrepreneur builds platforms that brings all the big names to the yard. Whether it’s her Podcast or the local Leadercast series, Heneka has the uncanny ability to attract the support and sponsorship of the biggest names in anything, anywhere, period.

Heneka burst onto the scene in 2007 with the launch of her Clothing Line, Patwa Apparel an indigenous clothing line celebrating the Jamaican vernacular, arguably a trend she popularized. This venture afforded her many opportunities to travel, network and experience business from many different perspectives (something she highly recommends).

Wanting to bring these experiences to Jamaican entrepreneurs Heneka switched course. So, in 2016 she launched the most ambitious phase of her career with the Entrepreneurial You Brand. A platform that targets leaders, entrepreneurs and startups challenging them to excel in life and business. This led to her association with Leadercast, ‘one of the the largest one-day leadership event in the world, broadcast each year from Atlanta to hundreds of Host Sites around the globe’.

Heneka was the first to host a Leadercast event in Jamaica with the Leadercast Kingston and the Leadercast women events. And, as she’s wont to do, has been able to bring some of the biggest names to Jamaica to speak at this event. Past speakers include popular Journalist Gayle King, Iron Chef Marcus Samuelson, Carla Harris who was hand picked by the former President of the United States, Barack Obama to be the Chair of the National Women’s Business Council.

Through workshops and events Leadercast Kingston and Leadercast Women is helping to shape “leaders worth following”. Heneka drives this message home with The Entrepreneurial You Podcast, the ultimate how to guide on business. On the show features a series of conversation with a a menagerie of noteworthy international innovators and business superstars.

WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT?

The 45 mins conversation was chock full of tips, advice and strategy on how to build digital platforms, develop genuine relationships and establishing your brand on a global scale. Some of the things Heneka touched on was:

Staying Consistent

Allow people to recognize that you’re serious about things. People start things so many times, you’re excited about the thing but then you’re not able to be consistent, so consistency is absolute key.

Building Real Relationships

Heneka tells the story of how she was able to develop a genuine, mutually beneficial and reciprocal relationship with her first guest.

When building these relationships authenticity is important — making genuine connections with people not for what you can get from them but because you’re genuinely interested in what they have to offer.

And it doesn’t require grand gestures either, supporting their work, engaging them on their platforms, reaching out to them, asking questions and just becoming apart of their online community. People respond to that and will be willing to reciprocate whne the time comes.

How to Get Started

Start with one, don’t look at the big picture oh I want these 10 people, I want these 20 people on my podcast start with one person who will believe in you and form a relationship with that one person.

Using Your Platform to Build Legitimacy

The podcast is a straegy, it’s not an end in and of itself, but rather a means to an end … The podcast is that platform, that main strategy that would legitimize me, it validates me and my work…”

AND LOTS MORE

Heneka has established herself as the podcast guru, inspiring and teaching other Jamaicans such as myself how to find their voice and establish themselves through this medium. Legit, this conversation was like a free 45min masterclass in podcasting and digital relationships. It was my absolute pleasure to talk to, learn from and share with myaudience the wisdom and the insight from what is truely a Jamaican digital media pioneer.

20 FREE ONLINE TOOLS FOR CONTENT CREATORS & GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

By Kadia Francis | July 14, 2019 | Guide | 5 Min Read

Say it out loud, I am cheap and I am proud, and busy too. Like Tina Turner, I like it nice and easy. As content creators, remaining consistent is how we stay relevant. Which means being able to push out several pieces of content for myself and my clients on a regular basis.

I am not about to spend more time on any one than I absolutely have to. Unlike people who are graphic designers for a living, my foray into design is strictly to make my content more appealing. In that respect I really don’t need to know the ins and out of design.

But as technical free as I like my workflow to be, that’s not the end result I am going for. I still want to be able to produce high quality graphics and content. In order to do that I pray, to the Gods of Google.

I am a strong believer that all good design start with the Google (yes, I said the Google, reverence). Whether for research, inspiration, resources or that much needed tutorial. To date the Google Gods have not failed me. Over time I have built up quite a repertoire of mostly free (like 99.99%) resources, I use to make my work look and feel professional.

There is no shame in this game game honey, so before you judge me check out this well curated list and get your life.

One of the biggest lessons I learnt building my own website is that page speed is everything. In the technological age a slow computer or a slow loading website is the bane of existence. And, because most people view web pages from their mobile devices, you can’t afford to have huge image files slowing down your site.

I still wanted high quality graphics and images on my site though. The problem with that is, high quality graphics and images take forever to load. After trying several work-arounds and not being satisfied, I had to call in reinforcement. Luckily, my good friend Lee is a dope web developer and he suggested that I (a) don’t hang myself (I threatened) and (b) use squoosh to compress images.

What does it do?

Squoosh is an open-source online image compression app ran by the Google Chrome Labs team on GitHub. The in browser tool allows you to compress large files into smaller more web friendly images without loss of quality. The app has advanced features for the more technical among us (not me). However, it is still very easy to use and allows you to preview your image before download.

Pros:

Easy to Use

Quick

Advanced features

jpeg, png & web file options

Cons:

There is very little wrong with this app, except it may be a little technical for people with absolutely zero knowledge of image files. That was me when I just started but then I found this guide which really helped so check it out.

Alternatives:

If you’re just wanting to resize an image for personal use and looking for a no brainer online tool, try resizeimage.net.

I came across this handy app when doing research for the NCB Mobile Banking App review I did a couple blogs back. I knew it was going to be a long read so I wanted to pack as much graphics in their as possible to make it a friendlier.

I also wanted to do a mobile phone mockup to show my readers how the app actually worked. The problem was, (a) I didn’t know how to do it (b) I was for damn sure not going to use photoshop and (c) I wanted it ready made. Turns out I wasn’t the only one with this problem, except this fairy god app maker did something about it.

What does it do?

At the time I found Mock it was in beta, it has since gotten several snazzy upgrades and now has a pro version. It is dead easy to use, it’s like three steps. Just upload your video, pick the phone frame and background color you want and boom, done.

Alternatives:

Here’s a quick tip, if like me you use stock images in your projects, changing the background and filter will give it a whole new look. Unfortunately, removing backgrounds from images isn’t as easy thing to do without software like Photoshop, which I absolutely hate.

Is it just me or is the Adobe Suite uncessarily cumbersomse and difficult to learn? If you don’t have the time, patience for that but still want to juj up your images Lunapic is definitely an option.

What does it do?

Lunapic is photo editing for dummies. No joke, it is a no mess no fuss, simple, easy to use drag and drop tool that really packs a punch.The website may look basic and old fashioned as hell but what it lacks in looks it makes up for in function.

Cons:

Sometimes image transparency doesn’t work with busy backgrounds

Alternatives:

Sometimes I want something with a little more editng power for busy images so I turn to my old faithful, PowerPoint. This is my go to app for graphic and video design. In fact most of my work is done either in PowerPoint or Canva.

Podcasts aren’t yet a big thing in Jamaica, but we are getting there thanks to pioneers like Heneka Watkis-Porter, who is out here evangelizing and teaching Jamaicans how to voice their passions. Not being a popular medium makes it difficult to build a community around your brand which is all the more reasons why marketing is so important.

Headliner is one of my go to tools when it comes to promoting my podcast. It gives me a fresh new way to introduce to and share these conversations with my social media audience. I can testify to the fact that doing show teasers have definitely boosted listenership.

What does it do?

Headliner is an audiogram app that turns your audio clips into wave form that you can add text and graphics to for your digital platforms.

“Turn your Audio into Video. Headliner is the simplest way to create shareable video clips from your podcast, radio show, or audio book.” – Headliner

Pros:

Best way to create teasers for your projects

You can turn your podcast, audio and article into video you can upload to other platforms like YouTube

Unlimited audio length

The pro version gives you plenty of options to customize your videos

Cons:

This app clearly wasn’t made with our accent in mind so transcriptions may not be exact

The app works best on larger screens, so you may encounter problems adding text styles

Alternatives:

A nifty alternative to Headliner is another audiogram app, getaudiogram.com. One major downside to this app is that you can only make 2 min clips. However, it is still a pretty cool app and it has more template options.

Sometimes I just don’t want to use a stock image or a flatlay in my projects, they get old after a minute. When I am feeling extra creative or want my work to stand out I use illustrations.

Besides, isometric illustrations are the hottest ‘new’ graphic design trend. So if like me you’re into UI/UX design and prototyping or you use Adobe XD for your mockups then unDdraw is a great app for you.

What does it do?

unDraw is a collection of open source svg illustrations that you can use completely free and without attribution.

Pros:

The illustrations are completely free (I had to say that again)

Images are well designed and high quality

You can edit the color of the images in app

Images can be downloaded as png or svg files

Cons:

None that I can think of

Alternatives:

Another great source for high quality illustrations is drawkit.com. This is not so much an alternative but an additional resource. FYI if you’re looking for custom illustrations for your project and you want to support local talent for the culture, start here.

This one is dedicated to my semi-purists who want to create their designs kinda from scratch. This website is the most amazingly generous online resource out there for designers periodt! This beautiful human Pablo Stanley decided for whatever reason to gift us with this ABSOLUTELY FREE vector library. I must say it is absolutely fantastic.

What does it do?

Humaans is a free downladable library where you can mix-&-match illustrations of people. It is ideally made to be used with powerful software like InVision and Sketch.

Pros:

Highly, highly customizable vector library.

You can change or add scenes and change positions, clothing, colors, and hairstyles.

It’s free and awesome

Cons:

Definitely not for beginners or for people like myself with an aversion to complicated software.

You can’t use the library online so if you don’t have InVision, Sketch or Photoshop, you’re out of luck. Or are you?

Alternatives:

By now you should’ve picked up that I really don’t like bulky software, mostly because I don’t know how to use them and am in no hurry to learn. That means I have to find work-arounds and here it is. This is a free GitHub hosted humaaans online tool created by this other kick ass human being Ozgur Ozer. You can use the tool to design your character and download your finished look as jpg or png files.

I include icons in my designs where I can because they are, global and space effective. But, choosing the right icon for your project can be a headache.

If like me you rely on free icons, finding matching sets can be a chore. I can’t tell you how glad I am to have found this resource.

What does it do?

Icons8 is a free-ish design resource where you can find over 90,000 free icons as well as vectors, photos and music for your graphic design projects.

The app is used by big tech companies like Apple and design giants like Adobe so you know the standard is high. And, even though it is not completely free, and you do have to attribute, the free stuff does not scrimp on quality.

Pros:

Cons:

Not all the icons are free. To be honest though, I can appreciate the level of work that goes into this project so I am not even going to compain about it.

Alternatives:

For a completely free tool you can use to find over 300,000 quality vectors and icons, try svgrepo.com.

Here’s another quick tip, I use to use PowerPoint 365 to convert my svg images (that won’t open without third party software on Windows). Now that I no longer have 365 of course I had to find an alternative, this website helps.

A solid high resolution colour background can do more for your design than images. If you’re not a purist like myself, and frankly don’t feel the need to create backgrounds for yourself. Then, I know just the right place you can go to get really high quality backgrounds for your content, graphic and even web designs.

What does it do?

This simple and to the point website does exactly what it says on the box. It’s the place to go for free downloadable colour backgrounds you can use in your perosnal or commercial projects.

Pros:

A variety of resolutions for any project

A sh** ton of colors to choose from, with the hex codes (nice touch)

Website quality backgrounds

Extremely easy to use, literally does not require a lot of brain cells or energy

Cons:

Not a one

Alternatives:

For even more free backgrounds and for a variety of different textures and for abstract backgrounds you can try xmple.com.

I may use muted tones in my brand but truly I love colour. However, one of the biggest things I had to learn about graphic design is how to use colour. I did not know that colour theory was an actual thing but after some real disasters I have edumacated myself.

Of course my edumacation came by way of Google and Pinterest in whom I am well pleased. Researching colour combos online I stumbled across palettes from this blog and was isntantly hooked.

What does it do?

This blogger and colour specialist Jessica Colaluca uses colours found in nature to curate palettes, says she was:

“Fascinated by the emerging online creative community and voice social media offered independent designers.”

Now she creates palettes “inspired by images submitted via Instagram”.

Pros:

I love a good website design and this is pretty but functional

The palettes are broken down into different colours and each is given an hex code

You can search by colour

Thousands of beautiful and unusual palettes to draw inspiration from

You can submit photos to Jessica who may just turn it into a cool palette

Cons:

Sometimes the hex code doesn’t come out exactly as it looks on the blog.

Alternatives:

Here’s another free resource for you where you cna mix and match colours yourself, coolors.co. It’s a free color scheme generator and the best bit is you can download the palette or upload directly into Adobe Creative Suite apps.

Another major learning curve in graphic design is typography. A design isn’t complete without great text and when it comes to design, fonts are everything. Whether it’s for your logo, stationery, poster, or wesbsite the right font will polishe the look of your work, bringing it together. The wrong font will kill a whole mood quickly, it’s like a wet blanket on your design.

Font pairing though is an artform in and of itself and takes practice. But, take heart even the best designers get it wrong at times. Which is why I went searching for a tool that’ll help me figure it out.

What does it do?

Font joy is simply, snazzy looking font generator that takes the hassle out of font pairing.

“Pairing fonts that are very similar, but just slightly different creates visual conflict. This is actually a core tenet of design – contrast is important not only in font selection but color and position as well.”- Font Joy

Did you make it all the way to the end? Well look at you being awesome. As a reward for your loyalty you can add your faves to the list too. Click the icons below to join me over on social media where you can share your go to online tools. I will update the list with your suggestions, let’s keep the good will going.

Kadia Francis

I am a blogger, podcaster, digital content creator and brand development strategist keen on telling the story of Jamaica and Jamaicans in the tech and digital space.

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20 FREE ONLINE TOOLS FOR CONTENT CREATORS & GRAPHIC DESIGNERSSay it out loud, I am cheap and I am proud, and busy too. Like Tina Turner, I like it nice and easy. As content creators, remaining consistent is how we stay relevant. Which means being able to push out...

By Kadia Francis | July, 2019 | 5 min read

Inspired by our recent feature with one of my faves Marlon Mckoy and the response from our readers who were eager to share their top picks. Here are 10 more amazing Jamaican professional and amateur photographers whose work shows off the immense local talent.

Nah lie it was difficult to pick just 10 photographers for this list. My DM was absolutely flooded with recommendatiosn after the last feature and OH MY GOD!!! they are all so damn good. I did not know but that there were so many talented Jamaican photographers online. There is a literally a photographer for every occassion — pregnancy, events, wedding, fashion you name it the talent is here. What I am particularly excited about though is the emerging local fine arts photography scene that has produced immense international talents like Adrian McDonald.

So thanks to the awesomeness that is my tribe who came through with the recommendations, I have put together this small list of super amazing Jamaican photographers. Some are professionals with years of experience,while others are up and coming talent or just hobbyists — what they all are though is amazing.

Andre Campbell – Amateur Portrait Photographer

Dre uses a Canon 70D to capture some of the cleanest, colourful and highly stylized photos on Instagram. His profile makes you want to be in front of his camera.

What’s even more amazing is that Dre is a total newb to the world of photography. In fact his profile is less than a year old, but from day one his talent was obvious.

Knowing that I’m new on the scene I definitely want to make an impact, so I try to do things differently so that people will take notice, even with my edits. I have grown quite a bit to where a lot of people are taking notice and a lot of pros are showing support and giving great feedback as well. I define my work as simple, different bold and creative.

Troy Campbell – Real Estate Drone Photographer

With his DJI Phantom 4 smart flying camera Troy captures stunning some of the most stunning images images and videos of local real estate. Tray himself is a realtor, in fact he doesn’t consider himself a photographer exclusively.

For him drone photography is another way to stand out and deliver next level service.

Firstly I’m a realtor. My aim is to provide the best service to property buyers & sellers, as well as other realtors. Everything that comes with doing that is just a means to differentiate based on delivery. I just learn and do what it takes to make a difference.

Bryan R. Smith – Wedding & Maternity Photographer

I have known about Bryan for a long time now. In fact, he was the photographer I worked with on the recently concluded Digital Jamaica People to Watch Series 2019. Known for his beautiful maternity photography, he is also a wedding ,lifestyle and events photographer.

Bryan uses his Nikon D750 to create special moments for his clients.

My photography captures the raw emotions of my clients, which makes it more than just a photograph but rather memories frozen in time.

Brian Lundy – Hobbyist Mobile Phone Photographer

Bryan is a professional helicopter pilot with a passion for photographing what he calls ‘our paradise’. As a hobbyist photographer, he uses a Samsung Note 8 to capture the incredible natural beauty of Jamaica from the skies.

Keon Predi – Freelance Food & Event Photographer

What I love most about Keons work is how uses the backdrop to add drama and texture to his photographs. This gives his work a cinematic, fluid feel — like stills from a movie. Though his work looks effortless you can tell that a lot of work went into producing each shot.

I see myself as a creative, rather than an artiste. I try to express my thoughts through each shot. I show what should be seen.

Although a specialist food and events photographer he uses his Canon 6D to capture incredible editorials, maternity and wedding photographs as well.

Sheldon Levene – Amateur Aerial & Drone Photographer

Sheldon is a digital busy body. He is an entrepreneur, content creator and the mobile app developer behind Jamdung app the Jamaican version of charades and the Jamaican minigames app Jamaicans be Like. On top of all that he still finds time for photography — using his DJI Mavic Pro Drone to take stunning aerial images of the island.

Jik-Reuben Pringle – Photographer & Videographer

Jik-Reuben is another veteran photographer who’s work is regularly featured in local and international publications. He is also a serial exhibitor whos photography has been shown as far afield as Germany.

Whenever I choose to put any creative material out there it has to make you think or better yet open up awareness on something you never viewed or processed before.

Comfortable with both still and moving subjects, he uses his Nikon F4 and Canon A-1 to capture iconic images of some of Jamaicas favourite entertainers.

Adrian Creary – Headshot Photographer

Adrian is the owner and photographer behind Studio Craft the go to place for professional, corporate and branding photography. In fact, Studio Craft is so popular you can find them at some of the biggest millenial events such as the Indiggo Conference and Ready to Emerge Summits.

Adrian uses his Nikon D810 and superior photo retouching skills to shoot some of the most recognizable faces in local industry. His work proves that professional photography doesn’t have to be a chore for the photographed or the photographer.

I strive to make my sessions as enjoyable as possible. I’ve developed coaching techniques to guide you through the process feeling relaxed. My goal is to get you confident expressions in your photos so youcan be proud of your final images and use them to promote your business or brand.

Fern Elise – Veteran Photographer

Fern Elise is a trend setting photographer who was one of the first to use DSLR photography for events and parties. That led to her founding Live Stush (now Stush Marketing) a trend setting company built on events photography.

Fern herself is a people photographer which is why she says she started doing photography in the first place. She prefers when her subject is not posed or posing, unpretentious and vulnerable. She loves people who are themselves and who will let it all hang out on a shoot.

My first love is portraiture photography because I love to capture people, I find it stimulating. That’s why I love capturing children and animals, they are so not interested in what I am doing but that’s what makes it beautiful.

After all her successes Fern still talks about her work with a wonderful sense of excitement. It is both refreshing and inspirational to talk to someone who is so in love with what she does, ‘I could talk about this forever if you let me’ she says.

Did you see any of your faves? If not drop their handles and i’ll be sure to highlight them in my Stories. Also my DM’s are always open to your recommendations for more digital Jamaicans to feature.

By Kadia Francis on April 29, 2019

Marlon is very intentional with his art. His goal as a photographer is to provoke emotions through storytelling. And so, every click, every pose, every angle, every set is deliberate in that regard.

Immersive storytelling is when the audience has so fully engaged with the story that they become apart of it, or atleast feel as though they are. When Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took the worlds first camera photograph back in 1826 he inadvertently created a new language.

Through this visual medium we have learned to communicate our own experiences without racial, cultural and even language barriers.

As social animals it is in our very nature to want to share and express ourselves, our thoughts, our perpectives our struggles, triumphs, politics. The best photographers have always found a way to evoke those passions, speak those words and convey those thoughts in visceral ways.

But there’s a new wave of photographers like Marlon who are more than just point and shoot photographers, they are storytellers. The images they capture are directed like a movie and for the same purpose, to relay a message to the audience.

I want to be known as more than a camera man, I want to be known as a story teller … I want people to see my work and say wow, which movie is that from?

He draws inspiration from world renowned photographers such as Joey L., a Canadian photographer and director and Adrian McDonald a.k.a Lexon Art an award winning, internationally acclaimed Jamaican fine arts and wedding photographer.

What makes photographers like Marlon stand out is that they are artists in their own right. This new sub-genre of photography they prcatice called fine arts photography has a feel of being an artistic expresison. Like a paint brush, the camera creates images solely from the imagination or perspective of the photographer.

❝ Fine art photography, is first and foremost about the artist. It is not about capturing what the camera sees; it is about capturing what the artist sees … The camera is used to make an art piece that reveals the vision of the artist …❞ – Photography Life

A post shared by photography (@mali_thephotographer) on Feb 17, 2018 at 4:15pm PST

I’m a story teller, a visual storyteller, I like telling stories creatively through images. I think the greatest part of any image is the story and emotions behind it.

Marlon wants to please more than your eyes, even if the image is not technically perfect. For him what matters is that the image grabs you emotionally. In that way he is not a slave to technicalities, placing greater emphasis on conveying his message.

I am probably the least technical photographer out there, but for me it’s all about the emotion and the story.

Marlon’s journey started humbly enough with a 3 mega pixel Casio camera. That camera he credits with pushing him to explore his imagination and creativity.

To be honest that camera was crap but I loved it to death … I did a lot of stuff with that camera and working within the limitations I had, I learned a lot.

From that crappy Casio camera to a Canon EOS 60d and canon 6d mark ii, Marlon has come a long way. This young Jamaican is a rising star photographer, artist, creative and a Digital Jamaican to watch.